Purpose

Cambridge City Council operates approximately 120 vehicles supporting a wide range of frontline services. A significant proportion of these vehicles are now beyond their anticipated replacement life, resulting in increasing maintenance costs, reliability concerns and growing operational risk.

The Council has reviewed its fleet replacement requirements, future operational needs, available vehicle technologies and decarbonisation opportunities. This review identified a phased replacement programme, adopting an electric vehicle first approach where operationally suitable and economically viable, as the most practical and cost-effective approach to modernising the fleet whilst supporting the Council's net zero ambitions.

This report sets out the proposed approach to future fleet replacement and decarbonisation and seeks approval for the adoption of an electric vehicle first replacement strategy together with the associated governance arrangements for future fleet investment decisions.

Decision

That Cabinet unanimously resolved to:

a) Approve the adoption of an electric vehicle first approach for future fleet replacement, where operationally suitable and economically viable.

b) Note the approved capital allocation of £2 million in 2026/27 and the indicative future capital requirements of £3 million in 2027/28 and £3 million in 2028/29 to support the Fleet Replacement and Decarbonisation Programme, with future years' funding subject to approval through the Council's annual budget-setting process.

c) Delegate authority to the Director of City Services, in consultation with the Executive Councillor for Nature, Open Spaces and City Services and the Chief Finance Officer, to approve individual vehicle replacement decisions and associated procurement activities within the approved capital budget and in accordance with the Council's Contract Procedure Rules.